Highmark Health names UnitedHealth executive as COO

PITTSBURGH — Highmark Health has named a longtime UnitedHealth executive as its chief operating officer.

Heather Cianfrocco, a native of Pittsburgh and Duquesne Law graduate, takes over as COO immediately. Cianfrocco takes over the COO role from Karen Hanlon, who had been named president in October 2025 and had simultaneously held the COO title.

Cianfrocco worked for 24 years at UnitedHealth and had been in a number of leadership roles at the company, including CEO of Optum and EVP of UnitedHealth Group. She has a degree from Penn State as well as Duquesne University and had been a board member of the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania. She also was on the Modern Healthcare list of 10 executives to watch in 2025, and in 2024 was on Fortune’s list of 100 most powerful female business leaders.

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